The Christmas Gift
by Severitus
Summary: Harry's in the Christmas spirit, and he's determined to spread the joy...even to Professor Snape *complete*
1. In the Spirit

Title: The Christmas Gift  
  
Author: Severitus  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summary: Harry's in the Christmas spirit, and he's determined  
  
to spread the joy...even to Professor Snape.  
  
Disclaimer: not mine. it's J.K. Rowlings. duh.  
  
Timeframe: doesn't really matter, Harry makes a reference to Sirius and that's about it.  
  
  
  
The Christmas Gift  
  
--Chapter 1  
  
  
  
Harry Potter couldn't remember the Great Hall ever looking so spectacular. There were more Christmas trees than ever this year, shining and glittering in a dozen colors that reflected off the gleaming marble floors and polished dinnerware. Swirling gray clouds and the wild tumult of snowflakes from the storm outside flashed across the ceiling. Silver and gold candles with different colored flames danced high in the air, twirling in and out of the shapes of candy canes, stars, and all manner of Christmas splendors.  
  
Harry glanced around in wonder as he took his seat at the Gryffindor table with Ron and Hermione. He was one of the last few to be seated, with only a few students and Headmaster Dumbledore not yet arrived. This was the end of the semester feast, the last meal that they would have together before most of the students left for the winter holiday. Christmas was in three days, and Harry couldn't help but wonder what the actual Christmas day feast would look like.  
  
"Harry, did you see the candles?" asked Ron excitedly, his eyes sparkling. Harry took his seat and nodded, glancing at the massive amount of food that lined the table.  
  
"They really spared no expense on the decorating this year, did they?" he said with a smile. Next to him, he saw Hermione's face light up in a familiar smile, one that said all to clearly that she had important, (or at least what she deemed important), information to disclose. She lifted her fork in the air like a teachers baton and gave it an idle flick.  
  
"Well." she began, taking on the know-it-all tone she'd abandoned after their first year. Now it was her way of teasing Ron, for it annoyed him to no end. "I heard that Professor Dumbledore is especially in the mood this year, and has even got some real flying Reindeer out behind the castle. And did you two notice the teachers? He made them all dress up this year." Hermione said, flicking the end of her fork toward the table at the head of the hall. Ron's head jerked up in surprise.  
  
"ALL of them?" he asked around a mouthful of dinner roll.  
  
"ALL of them." Hermione replied with a devious grin. All three heads instantly turned toward the front table, their collective gaze sliding down the table toward one figure in particular. Most of the teachers were decked out in their holiday finest, sporting red and green robes with crowns of holly, a few having even gone so far as to dress up like a Christmas elf or reindeer. The teacher whose outfit they were most curious about however, wasn't visible at first. Then Hagrid leaned back in his chair and the dark figure of Professor Snape was revealed, looking even more bitter than usual, if that were at all possible. He was scooted slightly back from the table, slumped down in his chair with his arms tightly crossed. His eyes were positively glaring about the room, though the effect was somewhat diminished due to the bright red Santa hat perched lopsided on his head, and the tiny bell and holly sprig pinned to the shoulder of his dark robes. Dumbledore really /had/ outdone himself.  
  
Harry instantly slapped a hand to his mouth to stifle a snicker, and noticed Ron and Hermione doing the same. Despite the fact that Professor Snape was dressed up to a significantly lesser degree than his colleagues, he still looked so miserably out of place that they couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"I hate to say this, but...poor Snape! I imagine he really put up a fight about this." Ron said, no longer laughing but grinning far wider than usual.  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if Dumbledore had to magically stick that hat on his head." Hermione said, dipping her spoon daintily into her mound of mashed potatoes.  
  
"Well, he /does/ make the perfect Scrooge, doesn't he?" Harry said with a smile. It took no trouble to imagine Snape in that Charles Dickens classic.  
  
"Bah Humbug!" Ron said with his sneer and best Professor Snape imitation, which wasn't really that good, but earned another round of laughter despite.  
  
"I wonder.." Harry said after a moment, thoughtfully twirling a carrot on the tip of his fork. Snape certainly /did/ appear to hate the festivities. That itself was nothing new, but it being the Christmas season, it wouldn't have been strange for the man to lighten at least a little. Surely the Potions Master didn't /entirely/ hate Christmas. Even people who had no family or friends to celebrate with could manage to find something about the holiday to enjoy. Harry himself had never received a Christmas gift (unless you counted a coat hanger) until he'd come to Hogwarts, and yet he'd still enjoyed the holiday. There were carols and roaring fires in the fireplace, Christmas cookies, and all the shining decorations everywhere. Surely there was /something/.. even if it was just a memory.  
  
"You wonder what, Harry?" Hermione asked after Harry didn't immediately continue. He glanced up at her and then back to the teacher's table.  
  
"I wonder if anybody's ever given Snape a Christmas gift.." He finished, gaining blatant stares from both of his friends as well as anyone else who'd been close enough to overhear.  
  
"Well of /course/ they haven't! He's not exactly the Christmas type; if anybody even dared to he'd probably kill them. Just look at the expression on his face!" Hermione burst out, both of her hands placed firmly on the tabletop.  
  
"You aren't actually.considering giving /him/ something are you?" Ron asked, his face twisted with disgust and his silverware lying forgotten on his plate. Harry sat up straight and stared firmly back, crossing his arms in mock irritation.  
  
"Of course I wasn't! I was just trying to figure out why he seems to hate the holiday so much." Harry said defensively. In actuality, he /had/ been considering the idea. It just didn't seem.. right. for /anyone/ to dread Christmas, even if it was Snape. Everyone deserved to have a happy holiday, and nothing could convince Harry otherwise.  
  
"Good.you had me worried for a moment there!" Ron said, whipping imaginary sweat from his forehead. Harry smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. He turned his head once again to the teacher's table and the smile turned to a frown. Snape was still sitting exactly as before, arms crossed angrily and the plate before him barely touched. He looked ready to bolt the instant Dumbledore called an end to the feast.  
  
"Harry, are you sure you'll be alright?" Hermione asked, jarring him from his thoughts.  
  
"What?" he asked, not exactly sure what she was referring to.  
  
"You know, with Ron and I both having to go home for the holidays this year. Will you be alright?" Hermione asked, her expression softened from what it had been a moment before. Harry nodded.  
  
"You two have places you need to be, I'll be fine. And besides, I won't be alone. I can visit Hagrid, and I'm sure Sirius will write too. I'm looking forward to hearing from him." Harry said, his smile turning genuine at the mention of the gamekeeper and his godfather.  
  
"Now you're sure about that Harry? If I asked my parents again, they might.." Ron began, but Harry shook his head firmly.  
  
"No, it's alright. Honest! It's not like I've never been alone for Christmas before, any holiday away from the Dursleys is a good one as far as I'm concerned." Harry said, and Hermione and Ron nodded reluctantly.  
  
The conversation strayed to other subjects, everything from the past semester to the future one, and everything in between. They didn't talk about the holiday anymore, and by the time Dumbledore called an end to the feast, Harry had all but forgotten about it. They left the hall together with everyone else, pausing to wish Hermione goodnight before continuing up to their respective dormitories. Harry helped Ron pack his things for the morning train ride, and then each turned in for the night.  
  
As he lay staring up at the ceiling that night, Harry couldn't help but wonder about the Potions Master yet again. True to Harry's assumption, the instant Dumbledore had allowed them leave; Snape had left through a nearby door without so much as a word to his colleagues. Of course, Harry noted, none of them had seemed interested in having a word with /him/ either. Every year it was exactly the same routine, though Harry had never really thought about it before. He'd been too preoccupied with his friends and the fact that he had actually gotten /presents/ for Christmas. Now that he was used to the idea, he decided he didn't like the notion of anyone else missing out on Christmas. And that included Snape.  
  
With that thought, Harry drifted off to sleep, filled with the determination to somehow convince his scrooge of a Potions Master to enjoy Christmas. It would be perhaps his most dangerous task yet, he thought.  
  
End Chapter One----  
  
Notes: Okay, this is going to be pretty short, probably only three or four chapters about this size. This is my attempt to get in the holiday spirit, and give my brain a short reprieve from the other story I've been writing. I hope you like! 


	2. A Little Help....

Note: Don't worry, I'm not neglecting my other story. I'd actually started this one first, but then set it aside when I had the idea for the other. I'm in the middle of writing chapter four for the other story, it'll be out soon, I promise. Also, thank you for reviewing everybody! I didn't really expect this to get much of a response...::shrug:: ..proved me wrong, heh, thank you so much!  
  
  
  
The Christmas Gift  
  
by Severitus  
  
--Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Harry was frustrated. There was only one day left till Christmas, and he still had no idea of how to get Snape in the Christmas spirit. A gift was the most obvious idea, but that left the question of /what/ to give. Snape really didn't seem the type that would enjoy a box of Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and he definitely wouldn't appreciate a bag of the Weasley's recently commercialized Ton Tongue Taffy. In fact, candy in general seemed out of the question. Snape already had the top of the line in potions equipment, and Harry really didn't think he'd appreciate a pair of Christmas socks either. In short, Snape was the worst possible person to try and get a gift for.  
  
Harry had run through all the options over and over again in his head, struggling to find at least something that Snape wouldn't kill him for. In the end, he'd given up on brainstorming and had trudged down to the library. Maybe he could get an idea from one of the books there. He might even be lucky enough to find a biography on him, though considering Snape's shady past, such a thing probably didn't exist.  
  
An hour later Harry discovered that he'd been correct. Aside from McGonagall and the librarian, Harry had been completely alone in the library and had thus gained the benefit of the librarians aid. Together they'd pulled down every book that had any information on the teachers at Hogwarts. Not a single one had more than two sentences referring to Snape; neither revealing anything useful.  
  
"Okay..." Harry said to himself, raising his head from a pile of dusty tomes, "What do I know about Snape?" He mulled the list over in his head. Potions Master. Head of Slytherin House. A pet snake perhaps? No, that wouldn't work, and Snape would probably take it as some sort of insult.  
  
"Well, he's mean, unfair, and undeniably the /darkest/ person I've ever met." Harry muttered. The man was a former Death Eater, though that presented no ideas whatsoever. He hated Harry and Harry's father something fierce....and though a few unusual ideas surfaced with that thought, Harry didn't think that they'd go over too well either. And besides, Harry wasn't desperate enough to give Snape a dartboard with the message, 'Die, Potter!' engraved on it's surface; complete with 'Avada Kedavra' inscribed darts, of course. The only other thing that Harry knew about Snape was that he'd been a student at Hogwarts, though that produced no bolts of inspiration either.  
  
"Wait..." Harry thought, glancing at a seated figure across the library "If he was a student at Hogwarts, then McGonagall would probably know /something/ more about him....." Harry thought with a grin. How better to find out about someone, than to simply ask? McGongall would have an idea, Harry had every faith that she would. Without another thought on the matter, he stood and walked across the room to where the Transfiguration professor sat in a cushioned chair, perusing a muggle romance novel.  
  
"Professor McGonagall?" he asked after a quiet moment, loathe to disrupt her if she turned out to be in one of her less appealing moods. She looked up after a moment, and to Harry's relief gave a bright smile.  
  
"Harry! What are you doing spending your vacation in the library?" she asked with a hint of amusement, folding the book shut across her lap. She appeared to be very much in the holiday spirit, her robes were a rich holly green with Christmas trees and silver bells embroidered on the trim.  
  
"I was just looking for some information, and I was hoping that you could help me..." he began, but then McGonagall's expression began to falter.  
  
"If this is for another one of your adventures, Harry...." she began, scolding slightly. Harry shook his head vigorously and waved his hands.  
  
"Oh no, it's nothing of the sort, Professor. I'm trying to figure out what to get someone as a Christmas gift, and I was hoping you could help me get an idea." he said, and the teacher's expression immediately softened.  
  
"Well, that's an entirely different story! I'd be delighted to help you Harry, but I'm not sure why you'd need /my/ help for such a thing. Surely you know your friends better than I do..." she began.  
  
"I've already gotten gifts for Ron and Hermione. I wanted to get a gift for..." Harry paused, and McGonagall watched him expectantly.  
  
"For who, dear?" she asked after a moment, leaning forward in her chair.  
  
"For Professor Snape, Mam." he said quickly. He wasn't quite sure what type of reaction to expect. It was obvious that no one but Dumbledore was especially fond of Snape, everyone respected him enough, there was no doubt about that, but as to giving him a gift?  
  
At first McGonagall just looked surprised, after all, it was the very last name she'd expected Harry to say. Then her expression softened into a genuine smile as she looked at her student. He never ceased to surprise her, and she couldn't help the faint flutter of pride in her chest. That one of her students, Harry especially, could have a heart large enough (and brave enough) to want to give his least favorite person a Christmas gift, why, it pleased her to no end.  
  
"Well, that's definitely not who I expected." she laughed, and Harry visibly relaxed. "Of course I'll help you Harry, though he's a difficult one indeed....." she continued, scratching her chin thoughtfully.  
  
"Did you know him when he was a student here, Professor?" he asked, and her attention shifted back from her thoughts.  
  
"Oh yes of course, dear. I'd just started teaching here when he was a student."  
  
"Maybe could you tell me a bit about him? Maybe I could get some ideas from that..." he said, and McGonagall nodded.  
  
"Certainly, that's a good idea." she paused a moment to gather her thoughts, setting her book up on a nearby table. Harry settled himself in the chair next to her own, twisting to face her politely.  
  
"Alright....I can't tell you about him before he came to the school, it wouldn't be polite for one matter, and I don't know much about it for the other. But when he was here, he was very different from the way he is now in many ways. He was a brilliant student, I remember that well enough; and he hated your father, of which I'm sure you're aware," she said with a smile, "Now I know he used to like Quidditch, he was the Slytherin Seeker I remember, which was another sour point between him and your father. And he /loved/ to read, he was always sneaking into the 'Restricted Section' of the library, though I don't think he realized we knew about it." she paused again, her eyes lost in distant memories as she searched for her next thought, "He had a pet the first two years he was here, a scrawny black cat that got into more trouble than your father and his friends combined. It disappeared his third year, probably wandered into the forbidden forest. I remember him being especially bitter that year....his grades dropped and everything." she paused a second time, smiling at Harry, "You know.....you and he have quite a bit in common. He always stayed here for the winter holidays too, you know.....I imagine he would have stayed for the summer too if he could have managed it." she stopped to stifle a yawn, and Harry leaned back in his chair, frowning slightly. He did /not/ like the idea of having anything in common with the Potions Master.  
  
"Pardon," she muttered with a smile, then continued, "Let's see.....he was a loner, definitely....and he had a fascination with Wizard's Chess, I remember that quite clearly. He never turned down a challenge.....I remember having to deduct /so/ many points from people for placing bets on the chess matches. I don't think I've seen him play a game since, now that I think about it. I think your father cursed Severus' chess set during their seventh year; it probably ruined the fun of the game for him. A shame, really...." she said with a sigh, "I'm afraid that's about all there is, Harry. Do you think it will help you any?" she asked, her expression hopeful. Harry nodded, smiling.  
  
"Oh yes, I think I know just the thing...." Harry said, rising from his chair, "Thank you very much, Professor McGonagall." he said.  
  
"What are you going to get him, dear?" she asked, retrieving her book from the table-top.  
  
"You'll find out on Christmas, Professor. Bye, and thank you!" he said, turning to dash toward the exit. The librarian scowled at him from her desk, but he was out the door before she could say a word. His next stop; Hogsmeade, for the perfect Christmas gift.  
  
  
  
---------------End Chapter 2---  
  
Note: Okay, I'm not sure if they're allowed to go to Hogsmeade over Christmas break, but for my purposes, Harry goes. It doesn't really matter, after all, he could have always snuck out with the invisibility cloak, right? 


	3. The Gift

Happy Holidays, everyone!  
  
Note: If you like this story, consider it my holiday gift to you. If you don't, I kept the receipt so you can return it. :) heheh. Oh yes, and I apologize for McGonagall being a bit OOC, but to me she just seems like someone that would really get into the christmas spirit. I tried my best to keep Snape in character, so please forgive me if I failed, I tried, really I did!  
  
The Christmas Gift-------Chapter 3  
  
by Severitus  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus Snape hated Christmas. He hated the sound of people laughing and singing, he hated the decorated trees and the red and green everywhere, he hated the smell of baking christmas treats, and above all he /hated/ everything being so bloody jolly. No matter where he went in the castle, his senses where assaulted by the holiday. Every room, hall, and stairwell had been decked to the fullest extent, leaving no corner untouched. Severus, however, had threatened the life of anyone or anything that dared to try and decorate his rooms or office, and therefore they alone remained untouched. He would have done the same about dressing up for the holiday feast, but Albus had been insistent on the matter, (he magically stuck the hat on Severus' head), and he'd therefore ended up doing it anyway.  
  
Doing his best ignore the carols that were being played loudly in a nearby room, he continued on his way back to his dungeon. There he could simply sit back, relax, and flip through one of the books he'd been meaning to read for a while now. He desperately hoped there wouldn't be anyone in the halls, for this time of year even people who typically ran in fear offered a shaky ,'Merry Christmas,' before he sent them running with a glare much nastier than usual.  
  
"Hello, Severus!" a very merry voice called from just behind him. He stopped abruptly, groaning in annoyance. It /had/ to be /her/ didn't it? Of all the people to run into in the hallway, it had to be someone who was in just as much christmas spirit as Dumbledore....Minerva McGonagall.  
  
"Evening, Minerva." He said flatly, turning to face her in the hallway. She'd just emerged from the room in which the carols were still being blasted quite loudly.  
  
"Would you care to join us, Severus? We're having a sort of faculty christmas party." She said, smiling brightly beneath the green Santa hat perched on her head. She lifted a hand up and adjusted her glasses, either blatantly ignoring the obvious look of annoyance she was receiving, or simply too preoccupied to notice.  
  
"No thank you, Minerva. I'd rather not." he said, then started to turn to go.  
  
"Oh, come on Severus! You never join in the festivities. Don't you have /any/ christmas spirit?" she said, placing her hands on her hips and watching him stubbornly.  
  
"Bah Humbug." he replied coldly. She shook her head, but a mischievous smile curled up one corner of her mouth. Snape narrowed his eyes, turning his head to give her a sideways glance.  
  
"What are you plotting, Minerva? I can assure you that there is no possible way that you will /ever/ get me to go to that party," he said, allowing a tinge of anger to color his voice. She laughed lightly, turning back toward the door.  
  
"Oh, I know that Severus." she said, still smiling.  
  
"Then /why/ on earth are you smiling as if you know something I don't?" he growled, arms crossed angrily.  
  
"You'll find out." she said, and then, "Merry Christmas, Mr. Scrooge." she finished, then slipped back through the door to the continuing party. Snape growled deep in his throat and whirled around, stalking down the rest of the hallway. He should have known /someone/ would try something....every year they complained about his lack of participation, and every year he blew them off the same as always. It was only a matter of time 'til they decided to take the matter more seriously. Some sort of prank or attempt at spreading the christmas 'cheer' was definitely in the near future, and he only hoped that it wouldn't be too particularly jolly.  
  
-----------------  
  
Everything had gone perfectly. The Christmas feast had come and gone without incident, and Harry had been able to slip away early without causing a stir. Slipping the present into Snape's chambers had been much easier than Harry had expected, he had to remember to thank McGonagall for stalling Snape when he got a chance. He'd gotten her a gift too, as thanks for helping him out. It wasn't much, just a boxed assortment of flavored teas and treats that he thought she'd like. Thanks to her and his trusty invisibility cloak, his mission of christmas cheer had been accomplished without so much as the slightest hitch. Harry had to wonder though, what if that meant he was in for a load of trouble later? Harry hadn't really allowed himself to predict Snape's reaction to the gift, because it would in all likelihood be /extremely/ unpleasant, even if Snape /did/ like the gift. But now that it was signed, sealed, and delivered, Harry allowed himself to ponder his fears. Now that he thought about it, Snape would probably kill him.  
  
Harry sat down on the edge of his bed, the invisibility cloak still hanging lopsided from one shoulder. He still had a few more gifts to deliver, a carved wooden dragon for Hagrid and a large box of Lemon Drops for Dumbledore. Aside from that, Harry wasn't sure what he was going to do with the rest of his Christmas eve. Everyone else from his dorm had gone home for the holidays, and Harry was feeling particularly lonely. He wished he could visit Hagrid, but he was at the faculty party that was still underway in the transfiguration classroom. Perhaps some hot chocolate? he thought, and decided that it sounded like a fairly good idea. He'd drop off the gifts and then go down to the Great Hall, which now had a giant fireplace and several armchairs at its head, and have himself a large cup of cocoa by the fire. It would be lonely, but it would still be a pleasant ending to his christmas eve; as long as Snape didn't decide to murder him afterwards.  
  
----------------------  
  
  
  
At least /one/ potion bottle shattered as a result of Severus Snape's rather violent return to his rooms. Last christmas eve he'd lost his entire supply of Wolfs bane extract when the bottles had shattered after he'd slammed the door shut, and this year he'd been only slightly more careful. For the time being, he ignored the broken remains of the bottle (empty, thankfully) and threw his outer cloak over the back of a nearby chair. One quick glance around the front room proved that thankfully, no one had attempted to decorate in his absence. Continuing through his usual routine, he flicked his wand toward the fireplace and lit the awaiting log; magically adjusting the flame to just the right size. Then he continued on toward the bookshelves near the entrance to his bedroom, and ran a fingertip casually over the many age-worn titles. However, before he found the particular novel he was searching for, he saw something out of the corner of his eye that caused him to instantly freeze in place. Christmas colors. Something red and green not quite visible from around the corner of his bed. In an instant his raised hand curled into a fist, and his lips curved into a vicious snarl. Someone /had/ been in his rooms, attempting to sway him into the spirit of the season. Indeed. When he found out who was responsible.....well, they'd just better hope that he didn't find them out.  
  
Stalking slowly into the room, he approached the end of the bed with all the caution of a hunter tracking some ferocious beast. It could be a prank, he thought, rounding the corner cautiously and peering down toward the object in question. What he saw further strengthened his assumption; it was a large box, wrapped in green paper with a bright red bow on top. There was no visible tag on the outside, but Severus was certain that had been on purpose. Who, after all, would be brainless enough to give him a 'gift' and then sign their name? No one was /that/ stupid.  
  
He circled the object slowly, studying it from every angle. Everything on the outside seemed perfectly normal, no mysterious strings or latches visible anywhere. It didn't give off any mysterious scents or sounds, and he couldn't sense any spells anywhere nearby.....but surely there was /something/......There was only one way to find out, he supposed; he had to open the box. Growling darkly at the inconvenience of it all, having to waste his night messing around with someone's bloody idea of a joke, he knelt near the box and wedged the tip of his wand under the edge of the lid. He lifted it slowly, half-expecting it to explode with confetti or burst into holiday song. Nothing happened. The lid was now lying safely on the floor, and from his perspective the box appeared to be completely empty. So...it was a prank then, someone's idea of a cruel joke. After all, he hadn't received in gift in what.....more than twenty years? A deep 'harrumph' sounded from the back of his throat and he leaned forward, fully intent on taking the box and chucking it in the trash can. But then he heard something, like a soft rustling of cloth. Severus paused, leaning toward the box with one hand slightly outstretched. Leaning forward ever so slowly, he caught a brief glimpse of something dark, and before he could comprehend what was happening, the box tipped over, and something shot towards him through the air like a dark lightening bolt and struck him squarely in the solar plexus. The next thing he knew, he was lying flat on his back with something warm sitting right in the middle of his chest, vibrating slightly. Slowly, he lifted his head from the floor and opened his eyes, and immediately yelped in surprise.  
  
It was a cat. A small, scrawny black cat with enormous blue eyes, two white feet, and a gigantic red bow tied messily around its neck. And now it was sniffing him, its tiny wet nose mere centimeters away from his own, and all the while carrying on with its incessant purring.  
  
"What the....?" Severus muttered, and leapt to his feet in an instant, eliciting an angry meow from the kitten after it was sent sprawling to the cold floor. Then it sat back on its haunches and stared up at him expectantly, tail twitching slightly. For a moment, Severus merely stared back in confusion. Was this a prank? Or was this actually someone's idea of a christmas gift? A /kitten/. For whatever reason, someone had gotten /him/, the dark, terrifying, mean and nasty potions master a /KITTEN/ of all possible things. Well, whoever's idea it was had certainly failed in their mission, for he /definitely/ wasn't anymore in the christmas spirit than he had been before, and he certainly wasn't going to destroy the school over the gangly furball sitting at his feet; the furball that was still blatantly staring at him. Severus knelt slightly and grasped the kitten firmly by the scruff of the neck, lifting the creature to eye level as he stood up.  
  
"And the question remains, what am I to do with you? Back to the pet shop I suppose...." he said, and the kitten audibly growled. "What? And you expected /me/ to keep you? So sorry to disappoint you." he growled in reply, and the kitten gave its own version of a fierce glare, its tail swishing angrily. A furious sound rising deep in his throat, Severus was moments away from tossing the kitten onto the bed and stalking away to hunt down the perpetrator when he noticed something else that was tied to the kitten's neck. A small, rolled piece of parchment was pinned under the bow near the knot, nearly hidden by the bright cloth. He sat back on the bed and dropped the kitten in his lap, and then set about freeing the parchment. The kitten instantly curled up against his stomach, beginning its purring anew. Snape ignored it, and unrolled the tiny scroll. It read;  
  
  
  
Professor Snape,  
  
Somebody told me that you had a black cat once, I  
  
found this one in a pet shop and I thought you might  
  
like him. Merry Christmas, Professor.  
  
H. Potter  
  
  
  
He read the parchment twice before setting it aside, then looked down at the cat once again. He picked the kitten up by the scruff of the neck a second time and stared at it warily. It /appeared/ to be a normal cat in every sense of the word, excepting the fact that like most magical animals it was significantly smarter that it's muggle-owned cousins. But why on earth would /Potter/ give him a /cat/? Surely there was something---some time activated spell or ulterior motive. Perhaps this was just the brat's way of trying to pass Potions----No, that was ludicrous. As much as he hated the boy, Snape had to admit that the child was not that stupid, and if Snape hadn't hated the boy, Potter would probably be doing pretty well in potions class. But that left yet another question....who had told him about Desero? The cat had disappeared back when he'd been a /student/ at Hogwarts, there was no possible way Potter could have----  
  
"Minerva...." he growled, with the way she'd been acting it left no doubt in his mind. McGonagall and Potter had evidently joined forces against him---some sort of tag-team determined to drive him mad. The kitten meowed, and Snape dragged himself up out of his dark thoughts and stared at it. It hung limply from his grasp, and the bow was so huge on the skinny creature that it looked absolutely ridiculous. In a way, it did look an awful lot like Desero had, both were scrawny, gangly, and weren't completely black. Desero had borne a white patch of fur on his chest and one white toe, and his eyes, unlike this kitten, had been green. Severus turned and dropped the creature on the bed, where it swayed briefly on its feet and immediately sat down beside him, still staring at him expectantly. When Severus failed to show any interest, it gave up and layed down against his leg, stretching and then yawning briefly before finally closing its eyes. Snape groaned and raked a hand through his hair, it was hard to hate the creature now that he'd compared it to Desero. He /had/ been extremely upset when he'd disappeared, as well as extremely angry. To this very day he was convinced that Lupin had eaten the cat on one of his full moon ventures, and had conveniently forgotten to mention it. There was actually some merit to his assumption, too, for there /had/ been a significant rise in pet disappearances during the werewolf's stay at Hogwarts.  
  
"But what to do about Potter?" he reminded himself, looking down at the kitten once again. If it was meant as some sort of vile, twisted joke, then he'd make sure that the brat never again saw the light of day. But if it wasn't----well, he was positive that Dumbledore would have his head if he punished the boy over a christmas present, an obvious act of 'good will.' Sighing in defeat, Severus reached down and stroked the kitten, scratching it lightly behind the ear. It immediately began to purr once again, and watched him from between half-lidded eyes.  
  
"Fine, you persistent beast. You've won. You can stay, for now at least. But if you break so much as one bottle, or scratch up one piece of furniture.....out the window you go. Is that understood?" he said sternly, and kitten raised its head, replying with a happy meow.  
  
"Good. Then I'll have to name you then, won't I? Let's see...." he said, leaning back against the bedpost. "I know....I'll call you Caedus, Latin for what I intend to do to Potter if you're meant as a joke." the cat only purred louder in reply.  
  
----------------------------  
  
  
  
Harry was quite content from his place by the fire in the Great Hall, wedged comfortably between the cushions piled on a massive, high-backed armchair. A cup of cocoa sat on the table next to him, topped with a mountain of marshmallows, whipped cream, and shaved chocolate. The only thing that could have made the moment better was if Ron and Hermione had been there to share it with him. Hagrid and Dumbledore had stopped by briefly after the party had ended, both to wish him a merry christmas. Now, most people had retired to their rooms for the evening, even though it wasn't quite curfew yet. He could stay by the fire for at least another hour, and then he'd have to return to the dorm or risk Filch's wrath. (Or Snape's, but he dared not imagine the outcome of /that/)  
  
Sighing, he leaned back in the armchair and closed his eyes, enjoying the rich scent of the hot chocolate and the roaring of the fire. Even though he was alone, it was quite nice. He'd have to remember to suggest doing this next year to Ron and Hermione, he knew Ron would have loved to set up his chess set on the table by the fire, and Hermione most certainly wouldn't pass up the opportunity to read in such a comfortable armchair. And the hot chocolate---the elves had really outdone themselves, Harry had never tasted anything quite like it. It really was turning out to be a nice holiday....  
  
"Evening, Mr. Potter." said the very voice Harry had been dreading all evening. Very slowly he opened his eyes and turned around in his chair, careful to hide the fear that had frozen his formerly toasty insides. There, standing just behind and between Harry's chair and it's twin, stood Professor Snape. His expression was slightly cold, though mostly blank. The shifting shadows caused by the firelight seemed to make the man appear even fiercer than usual.  
  
"Hello, Professor." Harry managed calmly enough, though he was positive that Snape noticed his terror. For a moment Snape simply stood there, his gaze turned to the fire. Then he abruptly stepped between the two chairs and sat down in the other high-backed armchair, crossing his legs comfortably. And this was turning out to be such a nice night, Harry thought.  
  
Snape remained silent for a few minutes, but then he startled Harry by suddenly summoning a house elf to fetch him something to drink. After the elf returned, a second mug of cocoa was placed on the table next to Harry's, the silence resumed once again, and Harry found himself fidgeting nervously.  
  
"I didn't expect to find /you/ down here, Potter." Snape said after taking a cautious sip from his mug. "I expected you to be up in your dorm, fiddling with whatever gifts your partners in crime left for you." he finished, returning the mug to the table. Harry jerked in surprise at the mention of the word 'gift,' but then forced himself to relax and reply.  
  
"I like it down here, sir." he said, and Snape nodded calmly. For the third time there was no sound save for the crackling of the fire, with an occasional burst of sparks up the chimney. At long last, Harry couldn't take any more of it.  
  
"Please don't kill me, Professor Snape! I just wanted----" Harry stammered, but Snape interrupted him with a vicious growl. The Potions Master whirled to face him, his expression twisted into an angry snarl.  
  
"You just wanted WHAT, Potter? To pass my class? Or to play some vile prank on your hated Potions Professor?" he growled bitterly, the corner of his eye twitching in restrained fury. Harry shrunk away, but banished the fear from his voice and face. He stared at the Potions Master with firm resolve.  
  
"I just wanted /everyone/ to have a good christmas, Professor Snape." he said, and furrowed his eyebrows in determination. Snape watched him for a long moment, his black eyes twitching back and forth as they studied his expression, struggling to find some fault that would identify a mistruth. After a long moment, he leaned back in his chair, the sneer and scowl disappeared from his face. Harry watched him warily.  
  
"And what gives you the right to interfere in the way I spend my holiday?" Snape said coldly, watching the fire. His voice was still cold, but the anger had disappeared.  
  
"My first year at Hogwarts was the first time I had a real christmas, Professor Snape. I don't like to see anyone not enjoying at least /something/ about the holiday. You didn't seem to like anything about it, so I decided to get you a gift so that you might have at least one good memory of christmas." Harry said, pausing to make sure Snape's expression hadn't turned violent, "Professor McGonagall told me about the cat you'd had once, and how upset you were when it ran off, so I thought you might like that one." Harry said, shifting under the stern gaze that Snape had fixed on him. Then a disturbing thought rose in his head, and he had to ask, "You didn't.....kill it, did you?" Harry said nervously, and was surprised when Snape erupted with a loud, amused laugh. Snape was watching him with a expression that seemed to say, 'imagine that, the brat did something interesting.'  
  
"No, Potter, I didn't kill it. Despite whatever speculations about me you have in that head of yours, I don't make a habit of murdering students and kittens. Although I admit, I have been sorely tempted on /many/ occasions." he said, his mouth curved in an amused smile. Harry sat back, slightly relieved. A soft meow startled him a moment later, and when he looked back toward his Professor, a small kitten slid out of some hidden, inner pocket of Snape's robes and landed lightly in the man's lap, where it proceeded to curl up contentedly. Snape dropped his hand from the chair's armrest and began the stroke the kitten lightly, his eyes focused on the fire. Harry couldn't believe that Snape wasn't furious at him, well, he had been at first, but the sight of the evil Potions Master petting the kitten was simply too much to believe. "Thank you, Potter. For once you've shown that you do have some brains in that head of yours. You do realize, of course, that if I'd opened that box and found Berty Bott's Every Flavor Beans, you /would/ be dead now." Snape said, a note of disgust entering his voice at the last. Harry watched his professor for a moment, then a smile slowly crept its way onto his face.  
  
"You're welcome." he said, and after a moment of consideration added, "Merry Christmas, Professor Snape," he finished, then took a sip from his mug of hot cocoa. Snape reached for his own mug and held it on the armrest for a moment, contemplating the shrinking flames of the fire.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Potter." he said, and smiled as he lightly scratched Caedus behind the ears.  
  
Harry leaned back in his chair, grinning from ear to ear. He'd succeeded. His mission to get Professor Snape to have a good holiday had actually /worked/, and now the man was even smiling. Harry took a drink of his cocoa and sighed in content, settling deeper into the chair. It looked as if miracles really did happen on christmas.  
  
"Oh, and Potter?" Snape added, "Don't /ever/ go into my rooms again."  
  
--------Epilogue--------  
  
The rest of the school year passed by with hardly any change at all in Potions class. Professor Snape was still as cruel and unfair as always, even with the scrawny feline perched constantly on his desk or shoulder. However, as small an improvement as it was, he stopped trying to get Harry expelled whenever blame for some horrific incident could be put on him, and Harry was eternally grateful for that small change. Professor McGonagall always made a point of smiling at Harry whenever the cat made its appearance in her presence, and softened up even when in an unpleasant mood. No one else knew where the feline had come from, though Harry was sure Ron and Hermione suspected him of something. After all, Harry was the only student the cat was friendly toward, everyone else it greeted in roughly the same manner as its master. Perhaps the most signifigant effect of the christmas gift was that on every christmas eve afterward, Harry would venture alone down to the great hall, take his seat by the fire, and enjoy a steaming mug of cocoa. And every christmas eve, Severus Snape would sit in the other armchair with Caedus at his side, and for that one night out of the year, they would sit together in a silent understanding. For that one night, Harry Potter and Severus Snape were friends.  
  
  
  
Merry Christmas, everyone!  
  
---THE END-----  
  
Pleas visit http://www.geocities.com/evilgeniusxi for a picture of Caedus pouncing on Severus. I did a better job on Sev this time, so let me know what you think!  
  
Okay, sorry if this was a bit sappy, but I couldn't help it. Anyway, 'Caedus' means murder, and 'Desero' means to forsake or give up. I really hope you guys liked this, and now I can concentrate on my other story! Yeah!  
  
Thanks a bunch for reading and for all your wonderful reviews! Happy Holidays! 


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